Electrode for water-heaters.



Patented July l6, l90l.

H. m. HILL. v ELECTRODE FOR WATER HEATERS.

(A lioation'filed Oct. 25 1900. (No Model.) pp

. ihsrrnn States Patent Orrron.

HARRY M. HILL, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

ELECTRODE FOR WATER-E*iEATEFS.-

$EEOIIE1LCATION forming; part of Letters Patent No. 678,782, dated J11157 16, 1901. I

Application filed October 25, 1900- Serial No. 34,298- (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern-.-

Be it known that I, HARRY M. HILL, a citizen of the United States,residing at the'city of St. Louis, State of Missouri,have invented acertain new and useful Improvement in Electrodes fonXVater-l-Ieaters, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same, reference being had to the accom panying drawings, formingpart of this specification, in which I Figure Us a Vertical sectionalview through a water-heater in which is arranged my improved electrode,and Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view illustrating the zigzag passagesformed by the electrodes for the water to be heated.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in electrodes forwater-heaters, the object being to so construct an electrode as toinsure a long life thereof and to prevent the disintegrated particles ofwhich the elec: trode is composed from passing off with the water beingheated.

WVith this object in view the invention consists in the construction,arrangement, and combination of the several-parts, all as willhereinafter be described and afterward pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustratedan electricalwater-heater similar to that forming the subject-matter of anapplication filed. by me on or about July 2, 1900, serially numbered22,330, which heater is provided with my improved electrode.

I will briefly describe the construction of the water-heater shown inthe drawings.

1 indicates a supply-pipe for the Water, and 2 a casting arrangedthereon, which casting is preferably provided with a pipe 23, extendingthereabove.

i is a spider-ring formed on the casting for supporting the electrode 5,said electrode forming the core of the heater. This electrode isprovided with a central bore opening into the bottom of thebase-casting, while the top of the electrode is closed. The pipe 3terminates short of the top of the electrode, leaving a suitable spacefor the passage of water. This electrode 5 is preferably made of carbonpressed into shape, its periphery being preferably, formed with spiralgrooves in the shape of screw-threads, the faces of said threads beingcovered by some suitable. fabric, (indicated at 6,) which. is pressedinto shape when the electrode is being formed, a wire or cord 7 beingwound around in the bottom of the groove to hold the cloth or fabric inits designed position. However, the cloth may be formed with a nap onone face, next the carbon, which nap when the green carbon is appliedwill form a permanent attachment for the cloth. The object in facing thecarbon electrode withcloth or fabric is to prevent the disintegratedparticles of which the elect rode is composed from passing out with therunning water. The presence of the fabric enables the electrode to bemolded much easier, and when molded the electrode will hold its shapebetter than where the sharp corners of the green carbon are exposed.Where a wire or cord is used at the base of the threads, this, inaddition to holding the fabric in position,also assists in preservingthe shape of the electrode. The electrode shown in the accompanyingdrawings is formed with a single thread; but it is obvious that a doublethread may be formed at its base and, further, that these threads may beinterrupted or the projections shaped as desired. The purpose ofthesethreads, as will presently be seen, is to cause the water passingthrough the heater to travel in other than a straight path, and this, aswill be obvious, can be accomplished in various ways, the formation ofthe thread, male and female, in the core-electrode and its encirclingelectrode being a convenient and advantageous way of doing this.

8 indicates a cylinder, preferably in the form of a short section ofpipe,which is threaded into the base-casting 2, and its top is closed bya cap 9. This cylinder 8 carries the encircling electrode 10, whichelectrode is insulated from its support for well-understood reasons. Iwill state here that the core-electrode 5 is likewise insulated from itssupport where it is desired to use a metallic returnwire; but where thecircuit is grounded the core-electrode 5 maybe an electrical connectionwith the grounded water-supply pipe 1.

The electrode 10 is preferably formed with spiral grooves in its innerface, said grooves producing substantially a female thread tion of theapparatus in any way.

which, with the male thread on the core-electrode 5 when the parts areassembled, forms a zigzag path for the water. The inner face ofelectrode 10 is covered with fabric 11 for the same purpose as thatattributed to the fabric 6 on the core-electrode 5; but instead ofhaving a supporting wire or cord in the grooves in electrode 10 I preferto introduce an angle-support 12, which conforms to the shape of thebottom of the groove.

In the manufacture of electrode 10 a mandrel is preferably employed,which mandrel is preferably grooved, as desired, and on the tops of thethreads on the mandrel the supporting-angle 12 is arranged, a rollerhaving a ll-shaped groove being employed for this purpose. Aft-er thesupporting-angle is arranged in position fabric in the form of acylinder and of the proper length is introduced over the mandrel and thegreen or Wet carbon placed in position, pressing the fabric in place inthe grooves, after which pressure is applied, then the mandrel removed,and the electrode dried. The core-electrode 5 terminates short of thecap-piece 9 to form a chamher in the upper end of the heater from whichleads a discharge-pipe 13, said discharge-pipe having a spigot 1asecured thereto. This spigot may be of the usual type, but is preferablyso constructed that when the operating-handle is turned in eitherdirection the spigot will be opened to permit the passage of watertherethrough. I am thus enabled to run cold water through the apparatuswhen the spigot is turned in one direction, and when the spigot isturned in the opposite direction the circuit is completed and theelectrodes energized, whereby the water passing through the apparatuswill be heated before it issues from the spigot. .I do not claim theconstruction of this spigot in this application, and therefore will notgive a detailed description of the same here, I deeming it sufficient tostate that the spigot acts as an electric switch to establish properelectrical connections with the electrodes; but it is obvious that theseconnections through the electrodes may be made in any other manner.

From the above it will be seen that water from pipe 1 will pass throughpipe 3 and contact with the core 5 at or near its top. If the current ison, this core will be heated to some extent, and as the entering waterpasses downwardly throughout the length of the core it will becomeheated to some degree, this initial heating of the water beingadvantageous and not interfering with the opera- As the water leaves thechamber in the core 5 it passes through the base-casting and thencetravels upwardly in a zigzag path between the electrodes 5 and 10. As anelectric current--say of one hundred and ten Volts-will destroy allanimal and vegetable matter in water to a large extent, the zigzag pathwhich the water being treated is compelled to travel is advantageous inthat it tends to precipi, tate any foreign matter in the water in thegrooves of either the core 5 or the encircling electrode 10. Thisprecipitation is due to the formation of eddies in the bases of thegrooves, which eddies retain the precipitated matter and prevent itsescape through the spigot. The water passing upwardly through the zigzag path formed by the threads will also be given a whirling motion, sothat when it reaches the chamber in the top of the heater centrifugalaction will assist in ridding the water of such foreign particles whichare affected thereby. The discharge-pipe 13 is therefore led from thecenter of this chamber, and in area this pipe is not only under pressurein the apparatus, but is compelled to move slowly. In fact, dependingupon the size of the apparatus, the water can be held therein so long asto be treated almost in a static condition. I prefer, however, that thewater be in motion While being treated in order that it may be deprived,as far as possilole, of its impurities.

I am aware that minor changes in the construction, arrangement, andcombination of my device can be made and substituted for those hereinshown and described without in the least departing from the nature andprin: ciple of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Iatent, is i 1. The combination with an electrode, of afabric covering therefor Whose nap is embedded in the electrode to serveas a binder for said covering; substantially as described.

2. An electrode formed with grooves in its face, and afabric coveringwhich is pressed into said grooves; substantially as described.

3. The combination with a cylindrical electrode formed with a spiralgroove, of a fabric covering which is pressed into said grooves, and asupport for said covering arranged in said grooves; substantially asdescribed.

4t. The combination with an electrode formed with a spiral groove in itsinner face, of a fabric covering which is shaped to the contour of saidgroove, and a V-shaped support for said covering, said support beingarranged in said groove; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature, in the presence oftwo witnesses, this 11th day of October, 1900.

HARRY M. HILL.

\Vitnesses:

WILLIAM II. Seen, A. S. GRAY.

IIC

